'IF CHINA IS A DEVELOPING NATION, THEN MAKE US ONE TOO': DONALD TRUMP SLAMS BEIJING FOR TAKING 'UNBELIEVABLE ADVANTAGE'

If China is considered a developing country, make the United States too a developing one, US President Donald Trump said on Friday, alleging that Beijing has taken advantage of his country.

The American President was responding to a question on China at his daily White House news conference on coronavirus.

Here are the excerpts from his response:

"China has been unbelievably taken advantage of us and other countries. You know, for instance, they are considered a developing nation. I said well then make us a developing nation too.”

“They get big advantages because they are a developing nation. India, a developing nation. The United States is a big developed nation. Well, we have plenty of development to do.”

“If you look at the history of China, it was only since they went into the WTO that they became a rocket ship with their economy. They were flatlined for years and years.”

“Frankly, for many, many decades. And it was only when they came into the WTO that they became a rocket ship because they took advantage of all -- I'm not even blaming them. I'm saying how stupid were the people that stood here and allowed it to happen.”

“If they don't treat us fairly, we will leave. But now we're starting to win cases.”

"They should have never been allowed it, this should have never been allowed to happen.”

“When China joined and was allowed to join under those circumstances the WTO, that was a very bad day for the United States because they have rules and regulations that were far different and far easier than our rules and regulations.”

“Plus. They took advantage of them down to the last. China took advantage of them like few people would even think to take advantage of them and again they are considered right a developing nation.”

“They were given advantages (for being a developing nation). For many years China has ripped off the United States. Then I came along and right now, as you know, China is paying 25 percent," said Trump, adding that the US is now gaining "billions and billions and billions of dollars in tariffs from China”.

“Not every country is China but China would devalue their currency and they would also pour out money and they essentially were paying most of those tariffs not us.”